Columns

I sure have been enjoying these later nights. I kind of like driving home from work when the sun is still up. Driving at dusk is what I call “deer-thirty,” and I have 16 miles of it. Of course, there are other wildlife showing themselves in droves this time of year, but one is especially distinctive.

Cold weather is louse weather. Inadequate nutrition, compromised immune response and shipping stress also favor outbreaks, if there are any infested animals in the herd. Additionally, fewer daylight hours during winter appear to contribute to problems with lice.

Spread and potential problems

Biting and sucking lice have been associated with reduced weight gains and general lack of thriftiness during periods of greatest winter stress. These small external parasites can spread quickly through a herd as animals bunch for warmth or when feeding.

Well, since my deadline came before Punxsutawney Phil popped out, I can only hope he didn’t see his shadow. February is typically our worst winter weather month, so I thought we could lift our spirits by remembering all the good things that happened in February, throughout history.

Something tells me we won’t see very many repeat episodes of the silent treatment the fiscal court’s budget woes received during last Tuesday’s meeting.

It was stunning, really, to sit through that meeting knowing full well the fiscal court is staring straight down the barrel of a $400,000 budget deficit and not hearing one single mention of that problem.

Here today and gone tomorrow — that’s my kind of snow. All of you wishing for a snow day got your wish. Now, hush! This has been my warmest winter in Kentucky and I am loving it. Of course, I’m going to pay the price this spring when I try to use these muscles that have been hibernating.